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| ON sweeps the mighty river,—calmly flowing, | |
| Through the eternal flowers | |
| That light the summer hours | |
| Year after year, perpetual in their blowing. | |
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| Over the myriad plains, that current ranges, | 5 |
| Itself as clear and bright | |
| As in its earliest light, | |
| And yet the mirror of perpetual changes. | |
| |
| Here must have ceased the echo of those slaughters, | |
| When stopped the onward jar | 10 |
| Of Macedonian war, | |
| Whose murmur only reached thy ancient waters. | |
| |
| Yet have they reddened with the fierce outpouring | |
| Of human blood and life, | |
| When over kingly strife | 15 |
| The vulture on his fated wing was soaring. | |
| |
| How oft its watch, impatient of the morrow, | |
| Hath mortal misery kept, | |
| Beside thy banks, and wept, | |
| Kissing thy quiet night winds with their sorrow! | 20 |
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| Yet thou art on thy course majestic keeping, | |
| Unruffled by the breath | |
| Of man’s vain life or death, | |
| Calm as the heaven upon thy bosom sleeping. | |
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| Still dost thou keep thy calm and onward motion, | 25 |
| Amid the ancient ranks | |
| Of forests on thy banks, | |
| Till thou hast gained thy home,—the mighty ocean. | |
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| And thou dost scatter benefits around thee: | |
| Thy silver current yields | 30 |
| Life to the green rice-fields, | |
| That have like an enchanted girdle bound thee. | |
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| By thee are royal gardens, each possessing | |
| A summer in its hues, | |
| Which still thy wave renews; | 35 |
| Where’er thou flowest dost thou bear a blessing. | |
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| Such, O my country! should be thy advancing,— | |
| A glorious progress known | |
| As is that river’s, shown | |
| By the glad sunshine on its waters glancing. | 40 |
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| So should thy moral light be onwards flowing,— | |
| So should its course be bound | |
| By benefits around, | |
| The blessings which itself hath known, bestowing. | |
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| Faith, commerce, knowledge, laws,—those should be springing | 45 |
| Where’er thy standard flies | |
| Amid the azure skies, | |
| Whose highest gifts that red-cross flag is bringing. | |
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| Already much for man has been effected; | |
| The weak and poor man’s cause | 50 |
| Is strengthened by the laws, | |
| The equal right, born with us, all respected. | |
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| But much awaits, O England! thy redressing; | |
| Thou hast no nobler guide | |
| Than yon bright river’s tide: | 55 |
| Bear as that bears,—where’er thou goest, blessing! | |
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